1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wallets and card holders and in particular to a credit card holder and wallet in which the cards themselves form the outer enclosing surfaces for containing money or other items therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most prior art credit card holders and wallets have outer retaining surfaces formed of leather, plastic, or other material for containing the money and credit cards, licenses, and other valuables inside. Most of the material forming the holder or wallet is used for the outer retaining surfaces. In some cases this material takes up considerable space and adds substantially to the bulge in the clothes if carrying the holder or wallet in a pocket or takes up considerable space in a purse or pouch.
Most prior art credit card holders and wallets are box shaped with flat sides which don""t necessarily conform to the shape of a person""s leg if they are carried in a pocket or don""t conform to often curved shaped purses or pouches.
Often the cards contained are not visible from the outside if the outer retaining surfaces are opaque, as in the case of leather.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,019, issued Oct. 25, 1994 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,230, issued May 28, 1996, both to Sumner, provide a credit card holder and money clip combined. The credit card holding side has two side channels for holding credit cards stacked between the side channels. The Sumner invention has an additional central plate for support of the cards and the money, so that the cards are not self supporting and there is no space between the cards. The second patent adds an additional configuration with the cards oriented transversely to the money.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,328, issued May 23, 1995 to Ritter, shows a case for carrying a card having a magnetic strip and chip. Two parallel opposing guide strips receive the card, but a base between the guide strips also supports and protects the card along with a web across a portion of the top of the card. Cleaning elements are provided to clean the magnetic strip on the card.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,926, issued Aug. 13, 1991 to van der Toorn, claims a credit card holder having a rectangular frame with a central opening to receive the credit card and with protruding elements into the open portion of the frame to retain the card in the frame. Pivoting top and bottom lids further serve to cover and protect the card. Multiple cards may be stored in the holder. No provision is made for creating a space between cards to hold money, etc.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,955, issued May 29, 1984 to Featherston, describes a credit card holder having two opposing parallel side lips to secure the card. A base is provided between the two side lips to protect the card and a protrusion is provided to prevent the magnetic strip on the card from contacting the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,080, issued May 21, 1985 to Ohlson, discloses an ID card holder a with opposing parallel side slots for retaining the card and a base between the slots with protrusions in the base to bend the card for easier insertion and removal of the card relative to stops at the ends of the card holder.
None of the prior art patents use the credit cards as the sole side supports containing other items therebetween.
Credit cards are made of sturdy slightly flexible plastic. They are waterproof and resistant to wear and tear, thereby forming ideal protective surfaces.
A support frame structure with pairs of diverging tracks or grooves on two opposing sides of the support frame forms the tracks within which credit cards are inserted and held to form a pair of opposing side walls with a storage space in between the opposing walls to contain business cards, money or other valuables, the support frame enclosing the space on the top and bottom.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a credit card holder and wallet in which the credit cards themselves form the containing surfaces to hold money and other valuables, thereby forming water-resistant sturdy protective surfaces.
Another object of the present invention is to form a credit card holder and wallet which has a concave shape on one side to rest comfortably against and conform to the curved surface of a user""s leg with the invention in the user""s pocket.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide an optional opening in the support frame and a tight friction fit holder inserted in the opening for storing a key, pen, knife, or other utility device normally carried in the pocket or purse.
A further object of the present invention is to provide support frames of varying shapes to suit particular needs.
An added object of the present invention is to provide a hinged support frame that swings open to access the contents.
In brief, a support frame of injection molded plastic, extruded plastic, metal, or other material having a somewhat rigid structural integrity is formed with a top and bottom track portions separated by the length of a credit card and interconnected at one or both ends by a spacer. The support frame is narrow at both ends and widens out in the middle. A groove is formed along each edge of the top and bottom track portions so that the top track portion grooves face and align with the bottom track portion grooves so that the grooves form pairs of opposing tracks along the edges of the support frame. Credit cards slide into the grooves in an overlapping array to enclose the sides of the invention and form a storage space between the cards on opposing sides with the support frame enclosing the top and bottom.
Money, credit cards, business cards, identification, or other items normally contained in wallets or credit card holders may be carried in the storage space.
In one embodiment, straight post-like elements form the spacers at both ends of the invention and the contents of the invention are accessed by sliding one of the credit cards aside to create an access opening.
In another embodiment, a spacer in the form of a hinge connects the top and bottom track portions of the support frame at only one end, so that the side may be pivoted open to access the interior storage space.
In addition, a small opening or notch may be formed in one of the track portions of the support frame and a holder with a key, pen, knife or other utility device normally carried in the pocket or purse, inserted in the small opening or notch for carrying the utility device therein.
An advantage of the present invention is that it creates a credit card holder and wallet which utilizes a minimum of material in its fabrication.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows the credit cards to be readily visible and accessible.
An additional advantage of the present invention is that it fits comfortably and conveniently in a pocket or purse.
These and other features, objects and advantages will be understood or apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the various drawing figures.